DENVER – Stanford advanced to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament final, by beating Colorado, 16-5, in the semifinals Friday at Peter Barton Stadium.
No. 15 Stanford (14-2) advanced to its 18th consecutive conference final, where it will play USC (13-4), a 17-9 semifinal winner over Denver, on Sunday at 10 a.m. PT. Stanford beat visiting USC, 12-6, on April 19 in their only meeting this year.
Freshman Kelly Myers scored a career-high six goals – all in the first half – in a game Stanford never trailed. Myers scored the game’s first goal, only 11 seconds into the game, after Alexandra Crerend secured the opening draw.
After Colorado closed to within 4-2 with 20:33 left in the first half, Stanford went on a 12-0 run, holding the Buffaloes scoreless for a stretch of 46:14.
Myers also had an assist and four draw controls and caused a turnover. Crerend, Mackenzie Tesei, and Lucy Dikeou had two goals each for the nation’s highest scoring team. Dikeou also had two assists, three draw controls, three groundballs, and two caused turnovers. Adrienne Anderson had five groundballs and Hannah Farr had three draw controls.
Stanford is seeking its first MPSF regular-season and tournament double since 2011. Its streak of conference tournament finals began in 1998 in the old Western Women's Lacrosse League and continued through the Mountain Pacific Lacrosse League and the MPSF, which began play in 2004.
Stanford 16, Colorado 5
Colorado 2 3 – 5
Stanford 12 4 – 16
Colorado (goals-assists): Darby Kiernan 2-0, Katie Macleay 1-1, Johnna Fusco 1-0, Blair Sisk 1-0. Totals 5-1.
Stanford: Kelly Myers 6-1, Lucy Dikeou 2-2, Alexandra Crerend 2-1, Mackenzie Tesei 2-0, Emily Newstrom 1-1, Sandy Smith 1-0, Paige Southmayd 1-0, Elizabeth Cusick 0-1, Dillon Schoen 0-1. Totals 16-9.
Records: Stanford 14-2, Colorado 11-7.